Concacaf confirms qualification pathway for 2025 Gold Cup
Region’s flagship MNT championship takes place one year before FIFA World Cup 2026™; five 2026 venues will host matches
Concacaf will continue tradition of including a global guest, with 2025 and 2027 editions including Saudi Arabia men’s national team
Previous Gold Cup guests include Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea; and four South American women’s national teams in inaugural W Gold Cup
Miami, FL (Thursday, December 19, 2024) – Concacaf has confirmed the qualification pathway for its men’s national teams to qualify for next summer’s 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup (Group Stage), the region’s flagship men’s national team tournament, which will take place from June 14 to July 6.
The 16-team competition will include 15 Concacaf teams, eight of which have already qualified through the Concacaf Nations League, and seven more to be confirmed following the conclusion of the Gold Cup Preliminary Round (Prelims), scheduled for March 2025.
The eight Concacaf teams already qualified for the Gold Cup Group Stage are Canada, Curacao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the United States.
As per eight previous editions of the Gold Cup, the Confederation will include a guest participant. For 2025 and 2027, this will be the Saudi Arabian men’s national team.
Concacaf has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), of which the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) is a member. Through that MoU, Concacaf has had the opportunity to engage positively with the SAFF, and the two organizations will begin an important partnership in 2025. This will include the Saudi Arabian Men’s National Team participating in the Gold Cup as a guest, collaboration on football development and CSR initiatives, and significant knowledge sharing between the region that will host the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the nation which has recently been awarded hosting rights for the 2034 global showpiece.
The Gold Cup Prelims will include 14 teams competing for the final seven berths in the Gold Cup Group Stage. The Prelims matchups were determined based on the Concacaf Nations League results and the Concacaf Rankings, and are Costa Rica vs. Belize, Jamaica vs. St Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduras vs. Bermuda, Guatemala vs. Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago vs. Cuba, Martinique vs. Suriname, and Nicaragua vs. Guadeloupe.
After home and away play in March 2025, the aggregate score winner in each matchup will qualify for the Gold Cup Group Stage.
Already Qualified + Guest (nine teams): Canada, Curacao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
A further seven teams will qualify through the Gold Cup Prelims.
The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup will be played in 14 stadiums in 11 US and Canadian metropolitan areas.
Just one year out from the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the Gold Cup will provide a highly competitive tournament for the participating teams and an opportunity for even more fans to engage with the sport at a pivotal time for its growth in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
During next year’s edition of this prestigious tournament, five 2026 venues will be hosting matches, including AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX), SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA), Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA), BC Place (Vancouver, BC) and NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) which will host the competition’s Final on July 6, 2025.
The draw for the Gold Cup Group Stage will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025, with further details to be confirmed in due course.
Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani said: “The Gold Cup is our flagship tournament for men’s national teams, and with every edition, it has grown to become a truly global event that delivers for federations, players, and fans.”
“We are very pleased that through our relationship with the Asian Football Confederation we have been able to collaborate with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and their President Yasser Al-Misehal, both on and off the pitch, and we look forward to welcoming one of Asia’s top men’s national teams to compete with the best in Concacaf.”
“With this next Gold Cup edition taking place just one year out from 2026, it is a tremendous opportunity to harness the increased interest in the sport in our region and promises to be the best edition yet.”
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal said: “It is a great privilege to represent the Asian Football Confederation in this prestigious tournament. Representing your country overseas is an honor all Saudis take very seriously, especially in the year before our friends at Concacaf help stage the FIFA World Cup 2026™. As a FIFA World Cup™ host nation, this learning opportunity is a responsibility that SAFF will wholeheartedly embrace. Football is a national obsession in Saudi Arabia and our mission is all about growing together and to help grow the game globally. Our continued thanks to President Montagliani for inviting us to take part.”
